Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Silicone free conditioner bar help - Varisoft EQ 65/100?

  • Silicone free conditioner bar help - Varisoft EQ 65/100?

    Posted by LSCC on February 17, 2022 at 11:36 pm
    Hello, thanks in advance for your help!
    I’m attempting to formulate a naturally derived/silicone free conditioner bar and it’s a bit beyond my knowledge. I stumbled upon Varisoft 65 (Distearoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol) & Varisoft 100 (Bis-(Isostearoyl/Oleoyl Isopropyl) Dimonium Methosulfate) as biodegradable alternatives to to silicone for conditioner bars.  So far i’ve found to use them between 5-10% and that they work best around a ph of 5ish, but beyond that i’m having a hard time finding how to use them in a conditioner only bar.
    I do want the conditioner to be in bar form, as when I sell it no plastic bottle is part of the appeal/marketing.  I also have sucrose cocoate that i would like to use instead of sodium cocyl isethionate as I read it has some conditioning benefits for hair, I only used SCI below because it is oil soluble.  I’m not completely certain how to make sure sucrose cocoate mixes into the oils since it is water based OR if adding it means I would need a preservative.  Could I use apple cider vinegar instead of a preservative if no other water based ingredients are added?
    Here’s what I’ve managed to come up with so far based on my research - I
    genuinely have no idea if it’s going to work well or not.  If you would like to roast me please do so over a low heat :D
    VARISOFT EQ 65 or 100 Amount: 9 % 18g
    Sodium Cocyl Isethionate Amount: 10 % 20g
    Argan Oil Amount: 10 % 20g
    Shea butter Amount: 30 % 60g
    Mango butter Amount: 15 % 30g
    cetyl alcohol Amount: 3 % 6g
    castor oil Amount: 3 % 6g
    Stearic Acid Amount: 10 % 20g
    Coconut Oil Amount: 10 % 20g

    ozgirl replied 2 years, 8 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • ozgirl

    Member
    February 18, 2022 at 12:24 am
    Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is not usually used in conditioner bars. It is commonly used in Shampoo Bars.
    Varisoft 65 and 100 are not really silicone replacements rather they are conditioning actives (quats). You would often use them in combination with silicones. There are plenty of silicon alternatives on the market (e.g. Lexfeel).
    Here are a few examples of conditioner bars
  • Abdullah

    Member
    February 18, 2022 at 1:44 am

    Agree with @ozgirl + Varisoft 65 and 100 is not as effective conditioner as commonly used BTMC or less expensive SPDMA. 

  • LSCC

    Member
    February 18, 2022 at 12:09 pm
    Thank you very much for the info!  If I were to replace the SCI with 5% LexFeel N350 MB & 5% LexFeel WOW-A would that work?
    I am also suspecting my proportions of oils might be a little too high, the other recipes seem to have a higher concentration of bar hardeners/conditioning agents.
  • ozgirl

    Member
    February 21, 2022 at 10:28 pm
    I would definitely increase the cetyl alcohol (or cetearyl alcohol) and the conditioning active and reduce your butters and oils.
    Here is another starting formulation that might give you an idea of the ratios of raw materials that are used.

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